The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for excluding suspended particulates and/or aquatic life from entrainment into a cooling system water intake site of a facility using industrial water.
Industrial plants and power plants utilize water from nearby water sources for cooling purposes. Aquatic life (e.g., fish, fish eggs, larvae, zebra mussels, vegetation, etc.) in the surrounding water body is often negatively impacted by entrainment within the cooling system water intakes. Cooling systems are also negatively impacted by the entrainment of sediments and debris from the surrounding water body. Entrained contaminants within the cooling systems can result in system failures due to damaged components and costly shut-downs for frequent maintenance and/or repairs.
Floating barrier or containment/exclusion boom systems have been installed at these water intakes to deal with these problems. These boom systems are optimal for some situations, but the size of the system can be a problem when the boom system encroaches upon navigable waters. For example, in circumstances when a large volume of water is drawn through the containment/exclusion boom system and into a water intake system, the traditional containment/exclusion boom system can encroach upon the water intake structure. It is often necessary, therefore, to move the containment/exclusion boom system further away from the water intake structure, thereby encroaching upon navigable waters and creating hazards to navigation. Thus, it would be desirable to produce an alternative filtration system which avoids this problem.
The present invention is directed toward overcoming these deficiencies.
A first aspect of the present invention relates to a filtering system for filtering intake water of a water intake system. The filtering system includes: a water intake system comprising a plurality of inlets in fluid communication with a water intake pump; and a containment/exclusion boom including (i) a support system positioned in a body of water, (ii) a curtain comprising a sheet of flexible fabric material that allows movement of water therethrough, the curtain having upper and lower ends with the upper end being connected to the support system, and (iii) means for maintaining the lower end of the curtain substantially against the floor of a body of water; wherein the curtain surrounds substantially all of the plurality of inlets and wherein, upon operation of the water intake pump, water is drawn through the curtain at which time the water is filtered, and subsequently filtered water is drawn through the plurality of inlets for delivery into the water intake system.
A second aspect of the present invention relates to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is a combination boat dock and water filtering system. The combined structure includes a water filtering system of the present invention, with the support structure being in the form of a boat dock.
A third aspect of the present invention relates to a method of filtering water entering a water intake system. The method includes: providing a water delivery system including a plurality of inlets in a body of water that are in fluid communication with a water intake pump; installing a containment/exclusion boom into the body of water in a manner surrounding substantially all of the plurality of inlets, the containment/exclusion including (i) a support system adjacent the plurality of inlets, (ii) a curtain including a sheet of flexible fabric material that allows movement of water therethrough, the curtain having upper and lower ends with the upper end being connected to the support system, and (iii) means for maintaining the lower end of the curtain substantially against the floor of the body of water; and drawing water through the water intake system, whereby water entering the water intake system is drawn through the curtain, thereby filtering the water, prior to passing through the plurality of inlets for delivery into the water intake system.
The filtration systems of the present invention offer a number of advantages over full length containment/exclusion boom systems used in conjunction with conventional water intake systems. In particular, due to the installation of a plurality of primary water intake conduits (which thereby diffuse the amount of water entering any single intake site), a boom curtain can be installed closer to the primary intake conduits. As a result, the boom curtain can be located closer to the shoreline and further from navigable waters. This is of significant importance in various industries that employ water-cooling systems, who will be able to utilize the filtration system of the present invention to comply with governmental regulations (regarding exclusion of aquatic biota) rather than installing expensive dry cooling towers. Moreover, the support structure used to support the boom curtain can be constructed for multiple uses, including the installation of docking slips for use as municipal or private marinas.